


A Year in Dates

by itswheremydemonshide10



Category: Emmerdale, robron
Genre: Alcohol, Brief mention of Gordon, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Robert's pov, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-18 08:47:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13678302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itswheremydemonshide10/pseuds/itswheremydemonshide10
Summary: It started as a New Year’s resolution for them both. 12 monthly date nights for the year ahead. They would take it in turns to plan a date activity they enjoy, and the other would have to join in regardless of how they felt about it.





	A Year in Dates

**Author's Note:**

> Written for @robert-sugden-trash, as part of the robron secret valentine <3

 

_In daylights, and sunsets, in midnights, and cups of coffee_

_In inches, in miles, in laughter and strife ~~~~_

_Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes_

_how do you measure a year in the life?_

_How about love?_

* * *

 

 

_New Year’s Eve_

It started as a New Year’s resolution for them both.

Aaron had insisted that seeing in the New Year with their families in the Woolpack was perfectly acceptable, despite Robert’s protests that they spend enough time there, and that it was hardly a special way to celebrate their first New Year as proper, _official_ husbands.

Aaron had countered that a posh bar and stiff suits weren’t his idea of a good time.

So they came to a slightly tipsy compromise.

12 monthly date nights for the year ahead. They would take it in turns to plan a date activity they enjoy, and the other would have to join in regardless of how they felt about it.

“It will be fun!” Robert had assured a more sceptical Aaron. “We should be having dates at more than just your mum’s pub.”

“Fine” Aaron had agreed reluctantly. “But I get to go first.”

 

_January_

“Aaron!” Robert calls out as he enters the Mill, shrugging off his wet coat and abandoning his sodden shoes by the door. His shoulders are tight with stress and he has a banging headache from a long day at work, but he’s determined to enjoy himself tonight.

It’s the first of their new date nights, and Robert has absolutely no idea what Aaron has planned. He can hear Aaron’s footsteps in the bedroom above, as he tosses his keys onto the coffee table, beside a stack of DVDs and a share packet of popcorn.

“Oh hey, I thought I heard your car.” Aaron calls down from the top of the stairs he’s ambling down. He doesn’t immediately look up, engrossed in something on his phone.

“Uhm Aaron…” Robert begins

“Yeah?” Aaron replies absentmindedly, before looking up at his husband.

“Did you forget about date night?” Robert asks, unable to keep a hint of petulance out of his voice.

“No, why would you say that?”

Instead of answering Robert just gestures vaguely to Aaron’s body, or rather his clothes. Old cosy tracksuit bottoms and a thick, faded jumper.

Aaron slumps down on the sofa, and apparently takes pity on his bewildered husband.

“You said I could choose whatever I wanted to do… and this is what I wanted to do. The weather is awful, and Liv and Gerry are both out, so I thought we could have a cosy night in… just the two of us.”

Aaron scoots along the sofa and pats the cushion beside him, for Robert to join him

“I put some logs on the fire and I was just about to order us a pizza… but if you really want to go out, I could…”

“No. That’s… that actually that sounds perfect.” Robert says, dropping his tired head sideways onto Aaron’s shoulder.

And it really is just what they needed, a night cuddled up under a blanket in front of the fire, gorging on the greasiest pizza they could order.

Even if Aaron does force him to watch the entire _Die Hard_ series from start to finish.

 

_February_

Robert is secretly glad that Aaron wanted to organise the first date night, because it means that February is in his control. More specifically, Valentine’s Day.

Whilst he had enjoyed Aaron’s movie night, he couldn’t deny that he would use any opportunity he could to get Aaron into a suit. He’s only human after all.

It was definitely worth it, Robert decides, as he watches Aaron across the table, his face illuminated by flickering candles in the middle of the table. His brow is furrowed adorably as he attempts to decipher the overly-fancy menu, written partially in Spanish. His crisp, sharp blue suit gorgeous on him, even as he tugs slightly at his tie every now and then, irritated by the unusual restriction around his neck.

“Hey.” Robert says softly, reaching his hand across the table to link his fingers with Aaron, preventing him fidgeting with his tie further.

“Stop fussing so much. You look amazing.” Robert tells him, running his thumb over the back of Aaron’s rough knuckles.

“Sorry, this is just…” Aaron trails of, shrugging.

“…out of your comfort zone.” Robert finishes. “Yeah, I know, but wasn’t that the point, to try new things?”

“I just…” Aaron pauses, blows out a harsh breath, his eyes on the dark grain of the polished wood table. Robert waits, knows how important it is for Aaron to articulate his feelings, something both of their therapists are always reminding them.

“I guess it just still feels weird sometimes, even now, that we can do this.” His eyes fall on a young couple arriving at the next table. Robert follows his gaze, and they watch as the well-dressed man with an expensive rolex on his wrist pulls out a chair for his date, a curvy brunette woman in a figure-hugging red dress.

“For the longest time I didn’t think we would ever get to be this, you know? I never thought I would be the person you took out to swanky restaurants on Valentine’s Day.” Aaron says quietly, his eyes still watching the couple as their waiter pops the cork on their champagne. The woman holds her glass between her manicured fingers the same way that Chrissie used to.

Robert lifts Aaron’s hand up off the table and presses his lips against the smooth metal band on his third finger, which successfully yanks Aaron back into their little bubble.

“ _You_ are my date, my husband… and I just want you to have the best of everything, you know?” Robert tells him.

“Yeah, I know.” Aaron says, his eyes a bit watery but his smile genuine as he leans back in his chair, his posture a bit more relaxed now.

“In that case, I’ll have the most expensive beer on the menu.”

And the most expensive beer he gets.

_March_

Robert knew that Aaron was going to make him pay for forcing him into a suit on Valentine’s Day, especially when Aaron started being abnormally secretive about his post as their March date approached, but he couldn’t have foreseen this.

 _This_ being an open-air race track in the middle of the Yorkshire countryside. There’s a rumble of engines as people zip around the track in go-karts that almost drowns out the voice of the safety instructor in front of them who is handing out helmets. Aaron is practically bouncing in anticipation beside him already.

“I can’t believe you chose _this_ as your date choice.” Robert mutters as they make their way over to the karts.

“This is all about trying new things together, remember?” Aaron teases, doing a dreadful impression of his husband’s voice, and he can’t argue with that. “What’s the matter, scared you won’t keep up old man?” he adds with a raised eyebrow.

“Right, you’re on now!” Robert retorts, jamming on his helmet and climbing in, determined to beat his husband now.

And he decides that if he does lose, he can always blame it on getting slightly distracted by the sight of Aaron bending over in his racing overalls to inspect the mechanics before he climbs into the kart beside him.

 

_April_

“So this is where you disappear to on your lunch breaks, eh?” Aaron asks as he picks up his mug, blowing slightly across the surface of the hot tea, before taking a tentative sip.

“When I’m already in town for meetings and stuff, yeah. What do you think?” Robert asks, curious.

He watches Aaron glance around the vintage looking coffee shop they’re in, taking in the artfully distressed furniture, the baristas with their man-buns, and the little area at the back of the shop selling vinyl records.

“It’s all a bit… hipster. But they do make a decent brew.” Aaron concedes, taking another sip.

“It’s always really quiet and laid-back in here, that’s why I like coming in between meetings.” Robert explains, and Aaron nods.

“What you got there?” he asks, nodding his head toward the paper bag that Robert had been carrying when he returned with their drinks.

Robert puts his coffee down to retrieve the bag, pulling a battered looking vinyl record from inside.

“I know you like your dodgy pop music, but I didn’t realise you were such an Abba fan?” Aaron teases.

“It was Mum’s favourite.” Robert replies, not quite able to keep the emotion from his voice when he says it. He waves off Aaron’s attempt to apologise.

“I guess I’ve just been thinking about her a lot lately… it was her birthday last week you know?”

“No, I didn’t.” Aaron says quietly, reaching over the rickety table to squeeze Robert’s knee comfortingly. “You should have said something.”

Robert just shrugs, not entirely sure why he didn’t if he’s being honest with himself. They’re both quiet for a long moment before Aaron speaks.

“Why don’t we grab her some flowers from that shop down the road, we could drop them off at the graveyard on the way home, brighten it up a bit… if you want?”

Robert feels the lump rising in his throat as it all becomes too much - the quaint coffee shop, the memory of bright flowers in a vase, and the Abba record. They all remind him so much of Sarah that it’s almost like he can feel her presence beside them.

Either way, he nods, grateful that Aaron understands.

_May_

“The cinema?”

“No.”

“A restaurant?”

“Nope.”

“Come on, just tell me where we’re going.”

“No point.”

“Why not?” Robert whines, his patience running out now. Aaron had been very tight-lipped about where they were going ever since they had gotten in the car. For the first half an hour Robert had been content just to sit in the passenger seat, his shirt sleeves rolled up and the summer breeze through the window ruffling his blonde hair as Aaron drives round a series of country roads, and areas of woodland.

“Because we’re here.” Aaron replies, pulling the car to the side of the road and bringing it to a stop.

“In the middle of nowhere?” Robert asks, as Aaron unclicks his seat-belt and gets out, turning back to Robert and ducking back down to reply.

“There’s a pint at the end.” He teases, which successfully gets Robert out of the car at least.

Aaron’s surprise is a walk through the woodland, which Robert surprises himself by enjoying. As they walk hand-in-hand, Aaron explains that it’s one of the places he used to come to run when he needed to get further away from the village. Robert knows without Aaron saying it that he’s talking about when Gordon was around, and he couldn’t feel more glad or proud, watching Aaron amble through the place he used to push himself to the brink, relaxed and happy and at peace with himself in a way he never has been before.

Aaron was telling the truth about the pint, it turned out. The woodland path ended at a river side pub, the rickety picnic benches on the grass the perfect spot for a cold drink before they wandered back to the car.

 

_June_

The heat is searing overhead, the suns rays already causing the back of Robert’s neck to prickle with the beginnings of a pink burn, matching the little splotch of red on Aaron’s nose beneath his ray-bans.

They’ve already gorged themselves on the picnic they brought with them to the cricket field and are both on their second chilled beers as they lounge on the picnic blanket. Liv and Gerry have somehow managed to invite themselves on what was supposed to be a private picnic, the two of them yelling and cackling as they run around near the trees with a football, but both Robert and Aaron are too relaxed to care

“This was a good idea.” Aaron says as he props himself on his elbows, his bare abs flexing as he pushes his sunglasses up into his hair.

Robert turns the corner on the page of the book he’s reading, before closing it and wriggling his legs where they cross under Aaron’s.

“You’re not complaining about one of my date ideas? You feeling ok?” Robert teases, not able to resist shuffling up the blanket so that he can lean down and peck Aaron on the lips.

“Shut up.” Aaron mumbles against his lips when he leans back in for a second kiss.

Robert isn’t sure how long they sit exchanging soft kisses, the heat too much for either of them to do much else. But they both feel it when they get an abrupt distraction, in the form of two buckets of freezing cold water being dumped over their heads, a shock against their sun-warm skin.

Robert and Aaron don’t need to look far to find the culprits, as Liv and Gerry sprint for the trees, two empty ice buckets in hand.

As Robert reaches for his discarded t-shirt to dry his wet face, Aaron is already reaching into their picnic basket, and pulling out a large, litre bottle of water and tearing off in pursuit of their attackers.

Robert decides he’s rather just sit back and watch them all chase each other instead.

_July_

Robert makes it to July before he seriously starts regretting his stupid date idea.

He’s attempting to fight his way through a crowd of sweaty, smelly people, who are all bogged down in ankle-deep mud in the dark, in a pair of wellies that he ordinarily wouldn’t be seen dead in.

All because Aaron decided that for their July date, he’s going to drag Robert to a music festival, of all things.

It wouldn’t be as bad, if it weren’t for the fact that Aaron was loving every second of it, tugging Robert forwards by his hand as they dodge flailing elbows and stray plastic cups full of beer that fly through the air periodically. According to Aaron, it wasn’t enough to stand back and watch from a safe distance, you had to get near the front to get the real ‘festival experience’.

Robert has to bite his tongue to keep himself from saying that he would rather have the ‘watching the highlights on tv’ experience from the comfort of their living room. After all, he only had himself to blame for letting Aaron plan half of their dates.

Robert almost runs into the back of Aaron when his husband decides that they have apparently reached an adequate spot, between an extremely drunk-looking hen party and two people with their tongues down each other’s throats.

He’s tired, drenched, and he can feel a headache building from the alcohol he’d drunk earlier in the day. But the look on Aaron’s face when the band come onstage, his broad grin, and the reflection of the purple strobe lights in his eyes, makes it all worth it. He even feels charitable enough to give Aaron a piggy-back so that he can record his favourite song on his phone over the heads of people in front of them.

And the dirty smile on his face when he leans over to shout into Robert’s ear about how he’s going to make it worth his while once they get back to the tent?

Well, maybe festivals aren’t all bad.

 

_August_

“I’m just saying, I’ve seen better drawings in Kyle’s school bag.”

“Aaron!” Robert hisses.

“It’s true, I mean – what the hell is that supposed to be, a blob?” Aaron asks, gesturing to the expensive piece of modern art hanging from the wall.

Robert has to resist the urge to facepalm, as he mentally gives up on trying to educate his husband on the values of a sophisticated art gallery.

“Why don’t we go get some ice cream from that place over the road.” He suggests, trying to ignore the scowls the gallery attendant is throwing their way for talking too loudly.

The weekend city break had been Robert’s pick, but even he knew that the art gallery had been pushing it. Aaron managed about half an hour in confused silence, before he couldn’t hold back on his own special brand of art critique.

The ice cream shop is more of a success. They settle at a small table out front, the air muggy even with the sun hiding behind the clouds, and Aaron makes friends with the owner’s old dog, a scruffy mongrel that wanders around the guests, begging for ice cream. Robert tries not to cringe as Aaron shares half of his vanilla ice cream with the dog and tries to convince Robert that they should get one of their own.

One thing they do agree on is the hotel though. Aaron had happily overlooked the obvious expense of the place the second that Robert informed him that it had a rooftop bar. The view across the city as night falls is stunning that evening, the two of them leaning on the ledge with glasses of vodka and coke in hand. Free from responsibilities for a short time they both get pretty drunk that night, stumbling and giggling back to their room in the early hours of the morning, before collapsing on the bed and falling asleep not long after.

But neither of them minded. After all they had a late check-out, breakfast from room service, and a very large bed to make use of when morning arrived.

 

_September_

At times like this, it’s easy for Robert to imagine Aaron as a child. He’s got his hood up and his jeans rolled up to his knees as he splashes in the shallow water on the beach, tossing balls up onto the beach for Poppy, their new puppy, to chase. Robert isn’t sure whose enthusiasm is more infectious.

The sun is out, but the weather has started to turn slightly autumnal, a fierce wind whipping in with the tide.

It’s the first time Robert has visited this particular beach, although he’s heard Aaron and Chas talk about it many times before, knows it’s an important place for his husband and is quietly grateful that Aaron is willing to share that with him.

He perches on a rock, sifting through the gravelly sand at his feet until Aaron returns, along with the dog, who bounds up onto him and sprays him with cold salty water and slobber. Luckily she still has energy to burn, so she dashes off up the beach after a couple of seagulls, leaving her tired owners to sit together on the rock.

The sun is already going down, casting the beach in a deceptively warm glow, as they watch Poppy try, and fail, to catch a bird.

“I found you something.” Robert says. He pulls the little fossil from his pocket and drops it into Aaron’s hand. “For your collection”. He adds.

Aaron’s whole face goes soft at that, like he can’t believe that Robert has remembered something so seemingly small and insignificant.

“Thanks.” He says, sounding a little breathless. He leans over to kiss Robert’s cheek, apparently at a loss for words.

The moment is broken when Aaron spots Poppy attempting to eat a string of seaweed and jumps after her, chasing her down the beach as she refuses to give away her new find.

Robert’s not sure who is more of a child in that moment, his dog or his husband?

_October_

Sometimes Robert thinks that marriage has done wonders for Aaron’s patience, as he meanders around various bookshops and libraries, trying his best not to look bored as Robert hunts through piles of books and comics at the local literary festival.

“What time did you say that lecture was?” Aaron asks, pulling Robert’s attention from a special hardback edition of a book that he already owns two copies of.

“Not ‘til four.” Robert responds.

“Do you wanna go get a bite to eat after this then? We’ve got plenty of time.”

“Yeah sure, just give me five more minutes.”

Aaron is flicking through his twitter feed on his phone outside by the time Robert exits the shop, with another heavy, bulging bag.

“Where do you fancy eating?” Aaron asks.

“You choose. I’m not hungry.” Robert replies, before turning to face his husband’s concerned expression.

“Are you sure you’re well enough to be out. That stomach bug you’ve had the last few days was really nasty. I still think you should be resting.”

“I’m fine.” Robert reassures him, already walking in the direction of Aaron’s favourite burger place.

Fine turns out to be a bit of an overstatement though, because as soon as Robert enters the restaurant and smells the food, he ends up rushing to the toilet and being violently ill, which effectively puts an end to their date as Aaron insists on taking him home, so he can rest in bed.

Robert is groggy when he awakes hours later, the sun low in the sky through their bedroom window. But he can’t miss the bag on the bed next to him, with a note on it in Aaron’s scruffy handwriting.

_Gone to pick Liv up from the airport._

_Hope this makes you feel better!_

Robert has to rub his eyes to convince himself he’s not imagining the book he pulls from the bag. It’s the latest novel in a series by the author who had been leading the lecture he’d now missed.

And not just any copy, a _signed_ one. There, inside the front cover, in an unfamiliar looping script reads a note:

_You have a very dedicated husband._

_Hoping you recover soon!_

Followed by the author’s signature.

Aaron had not only gone back to the festival, but had stayed for the signing after the lecture, to get Robert a precious signed copy while he slept off his illness.

It takes Robert five minutes of staring at his phone, trying to work out what he wants to say, before he settles for three little words.

_I love you._

_November_

Robert’s not entirely sure why anyone would choose to hold a party in an empty warehouse. The walls are grubby, the neon tubes overly bright, and the pounding bass of the music is amplified by the echoing building.

Aaron had found out about the club night from a Facebook friend, and had decided that after a couple of chilled out dates, they needed something more outgoing. Robert is just happy that it’s not in a muddy field this time.

He’s not quite as happy, however, with the barman who keeps flirting with his oblivious husband over the bar and eyeing up his arse every time he turns back to talk to Robert. So after a couple of drinks, Robert decides to take matters into his own hands and pulls Aaron up in to the crowds to dance.

“What’s the point of coming somewhere like this if you’re not gonna dance?” Robert shouts over the loud beat when Aaron shakes his head.

“I don’t dance!” Aaron shouts back.

“Just stand with me then.” Robert says into Aaron’s ear, pulling his body close. Judging by the affectionate look on Aaron’s face under the lights, he gets the reference.

They both loosen up with more drinks in their systems, so much so that Aaron’s hands start wandering a little as they dance closer. Well, grinding might be a better way of describing it.

And maybe Robert does feel a bit smug when he’s able to throw a cheeky wink at the leering barman when Aaron drags him out of the party and towards an early taxi, both of them eager to get home.

 

_December_

The air is frigid as they wander through the maze of stalls and lights that are brightening the dark square. Robert’s breath rises in clouds as he attempts to navigate the buggy between groups of people to get to where Aaron is loitering by the food stand.

“We only had dinner an hour ago! Do you really need to eat again?” He asks as he comes up behind Aaron, who’s guiltily scoffing a hot dog. “Honestly, I leave you alone for 5 minutes…”

“Sorry… you want some?” Aaron offers the remaining half of his food.

“No thanks.” Robert says, but he’s interrupted by Seb lifting his hands up and shouting

“Me! Me!” the little boy calls up to Aaron from his seat in the buggy, which makes the man grin.

“No Seb. You’ve already had sweets, that’s enough for today.” Robert tells him, causing his son’s bottom lip to wobble dangerously.

“Hey hey!” Aaron says, quick to intervene to prevent a full-blown tantrum. “Why don’t we go to that games stall and try and win you a stuffed reindeer eh? What do you reckon?”

Robert mouths thank you as Aaron lifts the little lad up onto his hip.

It takes Aaron nearly forty minutes and all the cash in his wallet to win the giant reindeer toy by throwing tennis balls at a set of cans on the wall, but he does it to see the overjoyed look on Seb’s face. Robert rewards them with hot chocolate before they head back to the car, Seb falling asleep almost as soon as he’s in his car seat, exhausted from their day out.

“We should do this again next year” Aaron says absentmindedly as he settles into the passenger seat.

“The Christmas market?” Robert asks as he pulls the car out of the car park.

“No… well yeah. But I meant the monthly dates things… I’ve actually kinda enjoyed it.” He admits.

“Yeah I’d like that too.”


End file.
